😘

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When Shams Malik and Zainab Begum left their house, Sheherbano once again started talking about Shams. But this time, she was complimenting him.

"He looks nice, and did you see how he held the door for his mother? I've heard the man who is good to his mother knows how to take care of his wife," Sheherbano was going on in full swing. She didn't noticed Jiya's dreadful expression.

"Sherry!" Jiya give her a blank look which made Sheherbano shut.

"I was just trying to find a good reason for you to marry him," Sheherbano mumbled and stuffed her mouth with kebabs.

"And you have found it?" Jiya wasn't really asking because Sheherbano was talking about him countinously since they left.

"Waise I still think he isn't match for you but we can adjust," she gulped down the food and said, while picking a glass of water.

"Achha jaiye! Abba atey hi honge," Jiya rolled her eyes and said.

(Go from here, Abba must be coming,)

"kaha jau?" Sheherbano took the glass down which was about to touch her lips.

(Where should I go?)

"Filhal yaha se jaiye,......hume apna assignment complete karna hai, Kal last date hai submission ki." Sheherbano silenty left Jiya's room, Not liking how Jiya talked to her.

(Right now go from here,......I have to complete my assignment, tommorow is last date,)

Jiya felt bad for talking rudely to her. But right now, she wasn't in the mood of any talk. Specially when all Sheherbano did was praising Shams Malik.

Her thoughts were already disturbed, she didn't want to add more things.

Jiya looked at the folded piece of paper which Zainab Begum handed her when she was leaving.

Shams phone number

Should she call him? She wonder but then shook those thoughts away.

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At night, Sheherbano couldn't sleep. Groaning, she picked her pillow and blanket and went to Jiya's room.

Jiya has habit of not locking the door, so she sneaked in easily.

The movement on bed made Jiya awake, but she didn't opened her eyes already guessing who is.

Sheherbano put her hand and leg on Jiya and hugged her from behind.

"Sherry!" When Jiya felt suffocated by her hug, she whined.

"Yaar! I can't sleep," Sheherbano also whined, hugging her tightly.

"What happened?" With some strength, Jiya got herself free and turned to her.

"How would I know?" Sheherbano mumbled.

"You know, they say if you can't sleep at night that means you are awake in someone else's dream," Jiya murmured.

Sheherbano looked at her for one good minute.

"I think it's just jet lag," then she said with blank expression.

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Shams Malik turned other side to find comfort and sleep, but no matter what he did, whenever he close his eyes, one face came in his mind,

Her deep set of hazel eyes, her long glossy hair that matches with her smooth white skin, her full cheeks that looked like someone has paint them light shade of pink.

Her cute button nose which was looking more beautiful because of the nose ring she wore.

And her lips,

Shams opened his eyes, he didn't want to think about her. But, his mind was still thinking about her, as his heart longed for her.

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Shams Malik thought when he will be busy, he won't think about her. But how wrong he was.

Next morning, he got himself busy in office. But, still, every there, he feels like she is standing in front of him, her full lips were curved up in smile, her eyes sparkling, her whit gown complement her glowing face. She felt real,

He could even felt mischievousness in her eyes.

Shams shook his head negatively. What happened to him? He wasn't like this, to go crazy just by one look.

Maybe there wasn't anything wrong with him, maybe it is her. His heart came to conclusions.

He thoughts were broke by his phone.

"Hello!" Picking it he saw an unknown number, he received the call.

"Assalamualaikum!" A feminine voice came from other side, taking his phone away from his ear, he again read the number.

"Walekum-Assalam!" His voice had confusion, which other person on phone felt it too.

"I'm Jiya."

Jiya? He was still confused when his mind remind him its his fiancee's name

Was he so engaged in her thought that he forgot he have a fiancee?

"Kaisi Hain aap?"

(How are you?)

"I'm fine....."

"Kya hua? Koi baat hai?" Shams felt her nervousness and asked

(What happened? Is everything okay?)

"Mujhe apse kuch kehna tha,"

(I wanted to say something,)

"Ji kahiye," he took his hand away from his laptop and gave all his attention to her

(I'm listening,)

"Woh....... Kya aap...... Kya aap Shaadi se Mana Kar denge?" It took him sometime to realize what she said

(Can..... Can you...... Can you say no to this marriage?)

"Koi wajah?"

(Any reason?)

"I like someone else but Abba....... Can you please say no?"

"Ji! Main Mana Kar dunga, aap tension mat lijiye, mujhe agar maloom hota toh main Kabhi yeh engagement na karta," Shams assured her

(I'll say no to this marriage, don't worry, if I had know this before I wouldn't said yes in first place,)

"Thanks! Um..... Can you please not tell Abba about my call," Jiya again asked

"Don't worry! I won't say your name," disconnecting the call, he saw her sitting in front of him, her elbow on the table and her chin placed in her palm, she was trying to hide her smile by bitting her lips but at last her lips curved into full smile.

Shams took his hand forward to touch her. But, before he could reach her, she vanished into thin air.

He looked around in his cabin to find her, but she wasn't anywhere

I'm losing my mind

A knock on his cabin's door made him composed himself. "Come in!" Shams focused on his laptop

"Hello, si...ir!" A chirpy voice came but suddenly changed into bewildered

Shams raised his head only to get another shock of the day

Dressed in formal white kurti and skinny jeans, a ethnic jacket hugging her tightly, her hair was in low pony with it strained falling on her face, kajal eyes which made her eyes more huge and nude lipstick painting her lips, she was the same girl, who has been running in his thoughts from yesterday

Sheherbano Ali!

Sheherbano was also shocked to see him there, all her confidence flew away from the window, as nervousness took over her. His burning glaze on her wasn't helping too. Hesitatingly, she looked away

"Sir!" Shams' P.A called him,

He introduced Shams and Sheherbano

Sheherbano was doing her internship in his office

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"Sir, I have made few designs which Rakul ma'am guide me with.." Shams was sitting on his chair while Sheherbano was standing beside him, showing him designs which she made in her laptop

Shams' glance at her laptop screen and turned to her. She was busy explaining the designs to him. She didn't noticed his stormy eyes on her

"How are they?" Sheherbano asked but when didn't got reply from him, she turned to him and got startled. She quickly straighten up. "Sir!" And sternly called him

"What's my name?" Shams was still staring at her without any shame and asked.

Sheherbano's brows furrowed in confusion,

"What's my name, miss Sheherbano?" Shams' amusingly put his hand over his chin and repeated his question

"Shams Malik." Sheherbano softly mumbled

"Then why did you write Shaam Malik here?" Shams' again turned to his laptop and point at the screen where Sheherbano wrote his name incorrectly

"Huh?.. oh!.. I'm.. I'm sorry, sir" Sheherbano also looked there and found her mistake

"I'll correct it." Sheherbano put her whispy behind her ear and said

"I do not tolerate mistakes, it was your first time that's why I'm letting it go."

"I won't give you another chance." Sheherbano promised

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"Jiya, you won't believe what happened in office." When Sheherbano returned home, she went to Jiya's room and shouted

"I'm working in your fiancé's office... And you know he is so serious type of guy?.... whole day, I was confused should I call him Bhai or sir? but then decided let's not bring personal relationship in business... And you know..." Sheherbano was again in her full mode to tell Jiya everything that happened in office. Unaware, jiya also had some things to share which were bothering her

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"What?" Shahvez Malik's hand stopped which were reaching for rice

"Are you kidding me?" He took his hand back and looked at his only son

"I'm serious, dad." Without taking his eyes off from his dinner, Shams said. He was casually having his dinner like he didn't blast a bomb like decision to his parents

"But, Shams......" Zainab Begum tried to talk. But when Shams looked at her, she stopped

"Mom! Dad! Aap dono samajh kyu nahi rahe Hain?" He put his fork down and looked at his parents

(Mom! Dad! Why can't you understand?)

"Aap kyu nahi samajh rahe? Apke aur Jiya ki engagement ki news pure sheher mein ghoom rahi Hai," Shahvez Malik said in tough voice

(Why can't you understand? Your and Jiya's engagement's news is spreading through city,)

"News mere aur Jiya ki nahi mere aur Shahmir Ali ki beti ki engagement ki ghoom rahi Hai, ab woh beti Jiya Hai ya Sheherbano, Kya farq padhta hai?" Shams had enough of this conversation, as he wiped his mouth with tissue and decided to leave

(News are about me getting married to Shahmir Ali's daughter, now it doesn't matter if that daughter is Sheherbano,)

"Pehli baat Sheherbano Shahmir ki beti nahi Hai aur dusri farq padhta Hai, Kya kahengey hum unse? Aur Jiya? unhe kaisa lagega?" Shahvez Malik also got up and went after him, quickly followed by Zainab Begum

(Sheherbano isn't Shahmir's daughter and it does matter, what we will tell them? And Jiya? What about her?)

"Dad! Pehle hi apne Meri marzi ke begair decide Kar liya ki Meri Shaadi Shahmir uncle ki beti se hogi. Ab agar mujhe unki badi nahi choti beti se shaadi karni Hai, toh isme Kya issue Hai?" Shams feet stopped, as he turned to his parents

(First you made deal with Shahmir uncle that I'll marry his daughter, now what's the issue if I want to marry his younger daughter Sheherbano,)

"Issue yeh Hai ki Maine Jiya ki baat ki thi aur na hi Sheherbano unki sagi beti hai,"

(The issue is that I was referring Jiya not Sheherbano, nor Sheherbano is his real daughter,)

"Sheherbano unki ki foster daughter Hai, aur unhi ke chote Bhai ki beti hai,"

(Sheherbano is in his custody and daughter of his late brother,)

"Zainab! Apne bete ko samjhaiye," Shahvez Malik turned his back to Shams and called his wife, who was silently listening the heated conversation between father-son

(Zainab! Talk some sense in your son.)

"Shams...." Zainab started saying

"Mom!" But Shams softly looked at his mother, which he always do when he want something from her and seeing it, she could never say no to him. After all, he was her only son

"Shahvez! Ek baar Shahmir bhai se baat karke to dekhiye," although Shahvez told her to talk sense in Shams but she was tried to make him change his decision

(Shahvez! At least talk to Shahmir Bhai,)

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